browning



L. S. BROWNING.

(No Model.)

, FIFTH WHEEL. No. 474,332.

Patented May 8, 1892.

avwamfoz ami M42090 o UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LEWIS S. BROWNING, OF MONTREAL, CANADA.

FIFTH-WHEEL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 474,332, dated May 3,1892.

Application filed February 12, 1891. Serial No. 381,205- (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern..-

Be itknown that I, LEWIS STEWART BROWNING, of the city of Montreal, inthe district of Montreal and Province of Quebec, Canada, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Fifth-WVheel Attachments forVehicles; and I dohereby declare that the following is a full, clear,and exact description of the same.

This invention is intended to produce a device which will replace theusual king-bolt, circle-plate, and elliptic springs of wagons, carts,carriages, &c., with a view to simplifying the construction of samegenerally, besides improving their qualities as to comfort, strength,lightness, and efficiency of movement.

The invention consists of atelescopin'g cylinder containing a yieldingresistancesuch as a spiral spring or springsand situated between thecarriage-body and the axle, to which parts the respective ends of thecylinder are secured in any desired way.

For full comprehension, however, of the invention reference must be hadtothe annexed drawings, in which like symbols indicate correspondingparts, and wherein-- Figure 1 is a Vertical section of the device, takentransversely to the axle; Fig. 2, a part elevation and section at rightangles to Fig. 1; Fig. 3, a plan view of the device, and Fig. 4 a bottomView of same.

A tubular section A, forming the upper part of the cylinder, has one ofits ends contracted in diameter, preferably as shown at A, and isconnected to the body of the vehicle by means of bolts a a, takenthrough side flanges a a at the top of such section.

Another tubular or cup section B, having one of its ends expanded indiameter, preferably as shown at B, and the other end blocked, as at Band slotted to receive the axle, forms the lower portion of thecylinder, the axle being secured to it by means of a bottom plate B andbolts D 19 The lower portion B is inserted narrow end foremost into thewider end of the upper part A and drops into position with therespective expanded and contracted portions in contact, a rubber washerE being preferably located between. them, as shown, to relieve themetal. A coiled spring, such as O, (or,if preferred, a graduated springor springs,) is then inserted, one end of which will bear on the blockedseat B of the lower section B and the other end against the under sideof a plate D let into the upper section A and secured thereto by ears Dand screws d, the upper surface of such section and the flanges a ctthereof being recessed to receive such ears. Any desiredlubricating-channels communicating with an external port can be formedin the upper section A, and, if desired, rubbercushions located at eachend of the spring 0 to prevent sudden jars.

The small number of parts and the simplicity of their constructionrenders the device very light and easily set in place, and theclose-fitting and extensive vertical bearing-surface between thesections of the cylinder will prevent any chance of the vehicle tilting,and thus secure greater comfort to the occupants, while the circularform of such cylinder naturally renders the device Very strong.Furthermore, there is hardly any possibility of dust accumulating on anda consequent interference with the efficiency of the working parts.

What I claim is as follows:

In a fifth-wheel attachment for vehicles, the combination of thecylindrical section A, the cylindrical section B, the yieldingresistance O, and means for securing such sections, respectively, to thevehicle-body and the axle, the section A having an extended contractedend and the'section B an extended expanded end adapted to bear,respectively, upon the main portions of the sections to furnishsubstantial bearing between and prevent the disconnection of suchsections.

Montreal, February 6, 1891.

LE WIS S. BROVNING.

\Vitnesses:

WILL I M. FEAT, FRED. .T. SEARS.

